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“I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)”? “Your Own Special Way”? Both were nominal hits for Genesis in 1974 and 1976, respectively, and if you recognize either of them, you’re clearly a Prog Rock fan or have spent quality time in my basement with my record collection. But 1977 was the year when everything changed for Genesis… And Then There Were Three was a pivotal re-mapping of territory which took the best of their art and tempered it with a commercial agenda, and also marked the most successful lineup of the band- the trio that carried Genesis forward would remain the solid lineup for more than two decades. I’m a dyed-in-the-wool Peter Gabriel fan, to be certain, but I can say for certain I never would have discovered the genius of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway if Mssrs Rutherford/Banks/Collins hadn’t opened the doors for me with Abacab and a decade of radio hits in the 1980s.

For thirteen years, we’ve been thrilled to call Chicago home. From our years as a staple at Chris Kennedy’s fantastic Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fairs to the opulent Winnekta Modernism and other North Shore events, we’ve been lucky to work with some of the top collectors in Chicago in the fields of Art Nouveau, Arts+Crafts, and early Modernism.

We were ahead of our time as dealers in artworks of the Vienna Secession, and while our early displays of Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele works on paper were met with many a confused look, over the years we steered many of the abovementioned collectors out of more traditional collecting paths and into Secessionist work. Thanks to the faith and trust- and good taste- of those collectors, the last few years saw our collective risks rewarded, and our reputation in Chicago was cemented as ahead-of-the-curve curators in the world of Art Collecting.

Our Midwest presence also allowed us to see works which we earmarked in our inventory as top examples enter the extraordinary permanent collections of The Art Institute of Chicago and The Detroit Institute of Art.

Thomas Negovan giving a Detroit Institute of Arts tour on Gustav Klimt and The Vienna Secession:

Thomas Negovan and Stuart Tomc in Chicago, 2009

All that said, we have come over time to realize that with very few exceptions the art that we were most passionate about, most excited about handling, was being shipped to California. Cabaret artworks, Silent Film posters, rare theater and romantic, occult-themed artworks from the 19th century… these are the things that get our blood racing!

So, as of the day following the Gail Potocki exhibition in Chicago, Melissa, Chandra, and I have moved to Los Angeles to oversee the opening of the new Los Angeles Century Guild gallery. Our friend Jerry Suqi is managing a pop-up location in Chicago through the end of the year nextdoor to the historic Logan Theater on Milwaukee, and expect to see Stuart and Jack pop up from time to time at both locations as events allow.

We will continue to curate and deal in 1880-1920 artworks, and will continue to push the envelope of what we feel is exceptional- yes, we will still have Klimt and Schiele, but much like ten years ago when we were encouraging collectors to take a risk on “this Klimt fellow” we are looking forward to devoting more attention specifically to the careers of Gail Potocki and Jeremy Bastian. We think they’re pretty special, and are certain that you will agree.

The gallery formally opens December 1, 2012 with a book signing by none other than Mister Jeremy Bastian. Artworks from his book Cursed Pirate Girl will be on display, and in a rare opportunity will be available for sale for one weekend only.

Jeremy Bastian’s Cursed Pirate Girl

I can’t tell you how excited we are… the space is grand, the ceilings are high, the location is prime. We’re right in the center hub of the Culver City Arts District, and have amazing exhibitions planned.

We always appreciated when people would travel from out-of-town to attend one of our Chicago exhibitions, and we can say without hesitation that our Los Angeles shows will take it even farther. Watch our calendar, book your tickets, and we will see you on the West Coast!

CENTURY GUILD

6150 WEST WASHINGTON BOULEVARD

CULVER CITY, CA

DECEMBER 1- DECEMBER 2

Artist will be present to sign special Advance Hardcovers with Limited Edition bookplate.

Amongst humans there is an inherent fascination with the sea and with the water from which we once sprang. Over the years we have come to understand not only the life-giving and life-sustaining necessity of our oceans, but also the primal beauty of them. Because of water’s inconstancy and ability to adapt to its environment, it has been used as a representation of the human emotional condition, but also as a symbol for the vast cosmos with its many changes and unknowns. We have imbued water with symbolic importance, as we have observed the connection between the tides and the cycle of the moon, and how those cycles reflect the very changes of human and animal life on Earth. We have created myths and fables: of seductive water nymphs and sirens who lure sailors to their dooms; of indomitable gods and goddesses who were borne of and ruled over the seas; of heroes whose mightiest weapons were plucked from mystic waters; and of babies sent in rafts either to meet their demise or to seek sanctuary by divine providence in new lands.

The image of the shipwreck has permeated all cultures as a cautionary metaphor for what happens when we drive ourselves too far, ignorant of the many consequences, or when we allow ourselves to be seduced by convenience and comfort rather than rationality. Where once the shipwreck was a symbol of human failure or death, today, with the advances of technology allowing for mass transportation of passengers and cargo, the shipwreck is frequently a disaster not only for those immediately affected. It is also a disaster for the environment and for the thousands of different forms of aquatic life that must survive, or do not survive as so often is the case, through the aftermath. So, it should come as no surprise that there must be a cautious equilibrium between ourselves and the oceans lest we wish to face catastrophe.

“The Raft of the Medusa” by Gail Potocki (2012, Oil on linen, custom frame). Taking her title from Théodore Géricault’s 19th Century painting of the same name, Gail Potocki has created another masterpiece of environmental symbolism. This particular painting is both a lament for the destruction of nature in the past and warning of the inevitable effects should such destruction continue unchecked.

The idea that a man-made tragedy can now take a great toll on non-human life as well and wreak havoc upon the environment and ecosystems is the predominant theme in Gail Potocki‘s 2012 painting, “The Raft of the Medusa“. The painting is a stark work of environmental symbolism that summons up an unforgettable image of a catastrophic shipwreck, which leaves in its wake a fire and plumes of smoke, a slick of oil on the ocean, and various birds and animals desperately clinging onto a woman, who represents all of humankind, for survival. While the proverbial rats leave the sinking ship and turn the woman’s collar into a makeshift raft, birds doused in thick oil panic and struggle to survive as they flail their wings trying to free themselves from the crude. The woman, who is garbed in an opulent dress and seemingly oblivious to the destruction and turmoil around her, discards a partially eaten apple with insouciance. Upon that apple is a sticker with a bar code, a further reminder of humanity’s attempt to control and capitalize upon nature at nature’s expense. In Gail’s own words, “I’ve often used the apple as a symbol of the Earth.”

Detail from “The Raft of the Medusa” by Gail Potocki (2012, Oil on linen). The woman’s hand lets go of the apple from which she has bitten into, letting it fall into the sea. The apple, which represents the Earth or the environment, has been used as a resource, a mere commodity, harnessed by humankind to suit their purposes and then unlovingly discarded. Meanwhile, the oil-soaked birds flail in distress around the woman.

Detail from Gail Potocki’s “The Raft of the Medusa” (2012, Oil on linen). Here, we can see the rats as they become dependent upon the woman, clinging to her collar for survival from the wreck which her species was responsible for. Standing on the back of her collar is a Vacanti mouse. The Vacanti mouse or “earmouse” as it has commonly been referred, was a SCID mouse (severe combined immunodeficiency), which are frequently used for research in biology. The Vacanti mouse had bovine cartilage grown under its skin, which then developed into the shape of an ear. Experimentation on rats and other rodents is yet another example of how humans have benefited from nature and from creatures for our own gain.

The title of Gail’s painting is an appropriation of and homage to Théodore Géricault‘s 1819 painting “Le Radeau de la Méduse“, which was one of his best known works and is a cornerstone of 19th Century French Romantic movement in art. Géricault’s painting was an ambitious work by which the French artist hoped to secure his place among the great Romantic painters of his day. Inspired by the 1816 wreck of the naval frigate, the Méduse, off the coast of what is now modern-day Mauritania. This wreck was attributed primarily to the inexperience and incompetence of its captain, the Viscount Hugues Duroy de Chaumereys. The ship was poorly navigated and had drifted a hundred miles off of its charted course, which lead to it running aground on a sandbank in West Africa. The ship carried over 400 people, of which 160 were crew members, but the capacity of the life boats was only 250 people. Those who could not be afforded room in the lifeboats built a makeshift raft, which was intended to be towed by the lifeboats, but the 147 people upon the raft was too great a number and almost immediately the raft began to take on water, so the raft was cut loose and the people on it left to their own devices. Within the first day, they had eaten the only food they had and their drinking water was lost amidst an on-board scuffle. The survivors were driven mad by exposure to the elements and starvation. Weak, malnourished, and mutinous, they began to turn on each other, eventually resorting to murder and cannibalism. By the time a rescue crew attempted to save those on the raft, only fifteen of the 147 people were still alive. The rest had perished by starvation, by sickness, by being consumed as food, or by being thrown into the sea and some of those did so of their own volition. The resulting press surrounding the tragedy became a scandal and an embarrassment for the French monarchy.

“Le Radeau de la Méduse” by Théodore Géricault (Oil on canvas, 1819). In selecting the subject matter for what he hoped would be the painting that brought him acclaim, Géricault chose to depict the harrowing moment in which the fifteen survivors of 147 upon the raft see in the distance an approaching vessel sent to rescue them. Géricault had thought that he could rise to prominence by featuring the wreck of the Méduse and its survivors as his theme, however, the painting became controversial during its 1819 unveiling at the Paris Salon in part due to its aesthetic departure from the serenity of the Neo-Classical, but also due to the sensitive subject matter and the heightened emotional response it elicited.

Gail Potocki‘s painting echoes some of the same themes as Géricault’s, such as the struggle to survive in the wake of disaster and the incompetence and arrogance of mankind. While Géricault’s painting was inspired by the wreck of the Méduse, Gail took her inspiration from more recent disasters such as the Exxon Valdez in 1989. The analogy is there and basically the same, but the great difference is that over the years we have better developed our ability to save human lives through safety precautions and rescue efforts, however, so often lessening the devastation wrought upon nature and wildlife isn’t made a priority until it’s too late.

An oil-soaked bird from the Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989.

A detail from “The Raft of the Medusa” by Gail Potocki (2012, Oil on linen). All too true to life, Gail’s meticulously detailed and emotionally wrought depiction of the birds covered in oil is representative of the thousands of birds who have been affected by oil spills and similar man-made calamities. Through her art, we are allowed to experience their anguish, to empathize with them, and to accept that there must be change.

Eventually we must ask ourselves: What happens when we overestimate our own abilities and underestimate nature? Any conflict which arises from such a circumstance almost invariably sees a drastic loss in life, though not always human, and yet there are often consequences of horrendous proportions which some of us choose to see while others do not. We have a responsibility to ensure that the planet we depend on, and that all systems of life depends on, is taken seriously and respected. Nature is not to be trifled with. This theme, this reverential treatment of nature has oft been expressed in poetry and the arts, as has the warning for humankind not to let their ambitions outreach their grasp. Gail’s environmental paintings are a bold, always beautiful yet often unsettling, and essential reminder that we are a part of nature, that our actions do carry with them an effect (be it for good or bad), so there must be an attempt to protect the natural world around us or accept that its demise will also be our own.

When it comes to art, a great example of this would be the erotic illustrations of Édouard-Henri Avril, one of the premiere pornographic artists of the late 19th Century, and an artist whose work I admire very much. However, while Avril’s work is splendid in its timeless appeal and subject matter, what it lacks, what it fails in, is that it’s fairly unimaginative and unexpressive. The compositions are predictable and the use of color is minimal and overly restrained. Though his illustrations succeed in providing an iconic visual counterpart to the erotic literature it accompanies, it rarely ever offers provocation of the mind or evocation of the emotions. In other words, it is simply visual eye candy displaying a wide range of physical experiences without the enrichment of genuine expression.

Yet there is another kind of erotic art that manages to do so much more than this.

Artists such as Gustave Courbet, Félicien Rops, Gustav Klimt, and Egon Schiele found their own unique way to convey erotic themes and ideas through artwork, and their works, while varying in style and predilection, all display a level of personality and expression that was unsurpassed during their lifetimes. This was art, not for the sake of arousal, but art for the sake of art and with the power to elicit feelings of passion, desire, loneliness, and introspection.

With the commercial rise of erotica in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century, there has been an ever outward-growing spiral of mediums to accommodate those in desire of exploring their carnality and sensuality vicariously through the creations of others. Today, we have artwork, literature, music, cinema, and countless other media with which to express ourselves, so unsurprisingly human desire has spilt over into all of these areas, although in some areas more than others.

One art form that has been proliferating in the public eye since the late 1930s is comic books and graphic literature. Strangely, with the exception of lasciviously humorous cartoons and buxom heroines in tight-fitting costumes (or no costumes at all, in some cases), the medium hasn’t explored sensuality as in-depth as other narrative mediums. Outside of Alan Moore and Melinda Gebbie’s Lost Girls, it is difficult to think of one well-known work of erotic graphic literature… until recently.

Last year saw the publication of an exceptional work: Dave McKean‘s text-less graphic novel, Celluloid.

The cover of “Celluloid”, an erotic graphic novel by Dave McKean.

Celluloid, which was published in 2011 by Delcourt in Europe and by Fantagraphics Books in the United States, is perhaps a different kind of erotica than what people have come to expect. Firstly, it is a graphic novel, and unlike so many graphic novels, it does not revolve around superheroes, monsters, or crime. It’s a work of fantasy and like most works of fantasy, it is about a journey, but this book is about a journey inward into the sensuality of the human mind and into the mysteries of human desire. It is “fantasy” in the purest sense of the word.

Just in time for the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con, the Century Guild booth (Booth # 2845) is debuting new t-shirts featuring the extraordinary work of Jeremy A. Bastian, the Malleus Rock Art Lab, and Gail Potocki! These new graphic t-shirts, aside from being fashionable and extremely comfortable, showcase the work of diverse and immensely talented artists at the height of their creative apex. Now, why should you buy one (or all) of these very cool shirts? Because they are amazing! Let’s take a closer look at each one and you’ll see why.

First off, let’s see the exceptionally cool shirt done by Malleus…

Thomas Negovan ‘The Divine Eye’ t-shirt (MALLEUS, 2012)

Available in sizes small, medium, large, and extra large, and produced in a limited edition number of 80, this deep v-neck, fitted t-shirt exclusively for the ladies (sorry, guys) is made of highest quality 100% cotton, features gold foil details, and the graphic was screened using high resolution to create the best possible image. The design appearing on the t-shirt was originally created for a poster to help promote the release of Thomas Negovan‘s historical 2011 debut single “The Divine Eye“, which was recorded on a Thomas Edison phonograph and released as a limited edition wax cylinder. Certainly such a feat is worthy of recognition, and indeed commemoration, but no mere work of commercial art would suffice, so naturally Thomas turned to Malleus Rock Art Lab and what they created is simply spectacular.

Thomas Negovan ‘The Divine Eye’ poster (Malleus, 2011)

Malleus is an artist collective comprised of three unique and talented individuals. Their work is inspired by Art Nouveau, Expressionism, Surrealism, Psychedelic Art, and Pop Art. They’ve created works for everyone from Queens of the Stone Age and the Mars Volta to The Dresden Dolls and Amanda Palmer. When it comes to creating indelible and iconic imagery to accompany and promote the releases and tours of today’s best music acts, Malleus is already a legend.

And from Gail Potocki‘s fantastic Freaks series…

Freaks t-shirts collection (Gail Potocki, 2012)

Also available in BOTH men’s and women’s sizes small, medium, large, and extra large, and produced in a limited edition number of 85 each gender, these ultra-comfortable and timeless, dark grey, crew-neck shirts are made of 100% cotton and screened from high resolution to best capture the masterful work of modern symbolist Gail Potocki‘s brilliant paintings. The imagery for these two shirts is derived from Gail’s Freaks series done in 2009, which lovingly pays homage to the world of circus and carnival sideshow figures from the early part of the 20th Century. These detailed and nuanced portraits manage to not only capture the essence of their subjects, but also the imaginations of all those who see them. Imagine the look of intrigue on your friends’ faces as you proudly wear your own shirt featuring Annie Jones the Bearded Lady or Jo-Jo the Dog-Faced Boy!

Annie Jones the Bearded Lady (Gail Potocki, 2009)

‘Jo-Jo the Dog-Faced Boy’ (Gail Potocki, 2009)

Of her fascination with the freaks, Gail says, “I think part of it is that they had to blaze their own trail whether they wanted to or not. Because they are so unique and rare, they stand out like diamonds in a sea of glass. ”
So too will the wearers of these awe-inspiring t-shirts, which are sure to become cult favorites and collector’s items, so be sure to pick yours up soon because they will disappear fast!

And from the imagination of Jeremy A. Bastian…

Cursed Pirate Girl t-shirts (Jeremy A. Bastian, 2012)

Available in BOTH men’s and women’s sizes small, medium, large, and extra large, and produced in an extremely limited edition number of only 70, these stylish, grey crew-neck t-shirts are made from 100% cotton and feature a slick wrap-around design which was screened from high resolution and allows for the insane amount of detail of Jeremy Bastian‘s work to display itself. The exclusive design features the Cursed Pirate Girl herself as she heroically leaps out of the reach of the clutches of her vile nemeses. Whether you’re a fan of comic books, pirates, illustration, or just want to wear a really handsome shirt, we have your needs covered thanks to Jeremy’s remarkable work.

Jeremy’s astonishingly illustrated and darkly, whimsical comic book for children has been acclaimed by some of the comics industry’s most respected names and the first three epic issues were recently collected in a single volume by Archaia Publishing. The title has been on the rise in popularity and there’s even a radio-dramedy in the works featuring Stephanie Leonidas (the star of Dave McKean‘s films MirrorMask and the upcoming Luna) as the title heroine and swashbuckling adventurer. Jeremy will be appearing at Comic-Con with Archaia at Booth # 2635 and Stephanie will also be making an appearance at our Comic-Con booth along with some other guest surprises, so keep an eye out, matey!

All of these shirts, both in style and sizes, are available in very LIMITED QUANTITIES only at Comic-Con and they will go fast, so you will want to be sure to purchase yours while you can. Stop by Century Guild at Booth # 2845 and pick up yours!

I’ve grown up loving art of all different eras and aesthetic movements, however, with that said, I rarely find a piece of artwork that genuinely moves me so deeply that it becomes forever emblazoned in my mind and heart. There are paintings from the Italian Renaissance, the Romanticists, the Pre-Raphaelites, the Symbolists, and then later from the Expressionists, which have managed to do this, yet most modern art seems to be so concerned with style and conceptualization, that it becomes emotionally devoid in its presentation. So, it is a very special feeling when a contemporary artist creates a piece of work that speaks to the mind, as well as to the heart, can evoke emotion, and provoke thought. Gail Potocki‘s painting, “The Repositioning of Artifice” is such a piece of work.

On February 26th, 2012, something rather extraordinary occurred: The Artist, a contemporary silent film won the ‘Academy Award for Best Motion Picture of the Year‘. Almost coinciding with this momentous occasion is the fact that a few days later, March 4th marked the 90th anniversary of what is my favorite film of all time, Nosferatu – Eine Symphonie des Grauens, directed by German silent filmmaker Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau. On March 4th, the film had its gala preview showing back in 1922. The film, for those who aren’t familiar with it, has become an iconic classic among the annals of horror films and is one of the most visually poetic of the films often collectively referred to as German Expressionist cinema.

Max Schreck as Count Orlok and Greta Schröder as Ellen. In the starkly climactic scene of the 1922 film “Nosferatu”, the vampire Count Orlok is lured to his demise with an offering of blood by the virtuous and virginal heroine, Ellen Hutter. As she sacrifices herself to his monstrous appetite, Count Orlok is diverted and unaware of the passing time, thus rendering him helpless to the lethal first rays of sunlight.

“Nosferatu” (2010, mixed media). Dave McKean’s marvelously expressionistic interpretation of the same scene in the film. One of the great examples of his ongoing “Nitrate” series of paintings which are a glorious homage to classic films of the early era. The use of tortured angles, rich textures, and chiaroscuro effects would have met with great approval from the film’s director F.W. Murnau.

Many of these silent films possess a symbolic quality and a visual poetry that most modern films lack entirely. The filmmakers of the Expressionist movement took advantage of the environment in which the story played out and used it to serve as a visual metaphor for the emotional state of the characters. Cinematographers and cameramen employed new techniques in moving the camera around while shooting, in addition to placing an emphasis on the contrast between light and shadow. Meanwhile editors experimented with cutting scenes so as to create the illusion of geographical and emotional continuity from one shot to the next.

It was a new era and because no one had ever laid out the rules or guidelines for what couldn’t be done in the cinema, many filmmakers approached their craft with an experimental curiosity, both in terms of the subject matter that they explored and the way in which they went about creating the haunting imagery being shown on screen.

The ominous figure of Mephisto, played by German character actor Emil Jannings, hovers over the town as his colossal wings fan a miasma of plague on the people. This classic scene from F.W. Murnau’s 1926 film “Faust” was a showcase not only for special effects of the day, but also a wonderful opportunity to display the operatic scale of the battle between good and evil in the cinematic medium.

“Faust” (2007, mixed media). Dave McKean’s impressive take on the memorable scene. The way in which he has fabricated the effect of the wind and the cloud of plague blowing over the rooftops is extremely creepy and stylistically rivals the same effect achieved in the film.

Interestingly, there has been in the past few years a growing appreciation and understanding of why silent cinema is so special. While film scholars and cineastes have long championed silent films for their artistic merits and their technical innovation, many modern film audiences have until recently dismissed them as relics of the past, but now with the this new recognition that silent films are receiving, many movie goers are reevaluating their initial stance on these classics. No more are they being viewed as fading relics of redundant or obsolete technologies. Finally, more people are beginning to see their artistic value and the important part that they played in the continuing evolution of the movie industry.

We printed the giant pages for the November 20, 2010 exhibition, and the smaller framed prints were detail images to highlight the intricate linework of his “The Last Witch’s Head at the Wall of Man’s Demise” artwork in November 2011’s Grand Guignol exhibition.

Jeremy signed each high resolution print with his name and the date of the exhibition. The artworks were captured using Transmission Atelier’s $15,000 scanner, and printed with the same expertise- and on the same paper- as the gorgeous edition prints that we produce with him.

Should these be a giant premium because they’re one-offs? From an exhibition? I don’t know. We’re just looking to recoup printing and see these go to a good home instead of having them move from shelf to shelf here in the gallery, so they’re in line with the prices of the regular edition prints that we do with Jeremy, but with the exception that these were hung in exhibitions, and are wholly unique.

I want one of these for myself, but all are being posted; I’ll keep whichever the last one to remain is… to my eyes there’s not a single sleeper in the bunch- these were all selected by Jeremy and I as the best pages and artworks possible. The Witch’s Head details include the framing, which is museum grade archival.

You can see in the previous post what an amazing event Jeremy’s first exhibition was, and no matter how big his career gets, these will always be from that very first show. I think that in and of itself is really special, and these aren’t images that we’ll ever be making large format prints of so they’ll be something that no one else will ever have for a number of reasons.

Email me at THOMAS at CENTURY GUILD dot NET (no spaces, obviously!) if you want to take advantage of this unique opportunity.

Please note that there are little bits of handling wear. They’ll frame just perfectly.

-Tom

CLICK ON IMAGES TO SEE THEM AT LARGE SIZES… CLICK A SECOND TIME AND THEY BLOW UP EVEN MORE.

SOLD, unique, 22 x 34 inches. Signed and dated 11-20-10. Apollonia’s room- Jeremy pointed out in this blow-up how there are a ton of clues hidden on this page about the rest of the storyline- at this size you can really search for them!

SOLD, unique, 33 x 44 inches. Signed and dated 11-20-10. Admiral Cursed Pirate Girl. Jim at Transmission made this “aged” using a scan he made of a piece of paper from the 1700s.

SOLD, unique, 35 x 44 inches. Signed and dated 11-20-10. Jeremy thinks this is his second best artwork, after the Sacking of the Royal City of Cub. It’s also a poster for my band, so I was happy to hear that!

The centerpiece of the show. SOLD, unique, 35 x 44 inches. Signed and dated 11-20-10. The double-page spread sea battle – storm scene that can’t possibly be explained in words- there is SO much in here that you can’t see in the comic!

REMEMBER- CLICK ON THE PHOTOS AND THEY WILL ENLARGE SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THEM CLEARLY!